Unrequited
by cranberry391
Summary: "I'm Sirius Black; I don't need pointers on how to get girls from you." Sirius/Kagome
1. My Stupid Mouth

Sirius was staring so intently at Remus and Kagome that James was a little worried that they would spontaneously combust. He hadn't heard of any cases to support his hypothesis, but he was sure he'd find out any moment now if he was indeed correct.

"Quit brooding mate. You're starting to scare the young children." James teased as he waved his quill in front of Sirius' face.

Sirius swatted angrily at the offending quill, annoyance clearly evident on his face. "I'm not brooding." He groused but did not remove his eyes from the pair sitting a few tables away.

James rolled his eyes.

Denial.

"Sure and Snivelly looks good in pastels." Peter laughed at James' joke but it did little to ease the mood. In fact it seemed to worsen it.

"Ugh, why would you ever say something like that?" Sirius complained, finally turning to look at his friends angry that the image of Snape in a brightly colored argyle vest had been implanted into his mind. He made a sour face.

"Because I knew it would have that effect on you." James grinned, blowing a raspberry at Sirius who continued to mumble malicious things about his best mates under his breath.

"I assume you're cursing so much because you care." James said cheekily; his eyes alight with mirth as he looked at his friend over the rim of his glasses.

Sirius ignored James' comment.

James pinched the bridge of his nose to quell the frustration that was slowly mounting. Sirius could be as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be. It just so happened that now was one of those times. "You might as well go talk with the bird." James said pointedly as he focused his attention back on his parchment in an attempt to get some work done on their assignment.

Sirius scoffed. "I'm Sirius Black; I don't need pointers on how to get girls from _you_."

A small grin tugged at James' lips. He knew he was walking a dangerous line, but it sure was fun to push his best mate's buttons every once and a while, and to be fair Sirius was walking right into it.

"Now let's think about that phrase for a moment. I am currently dating the lovely Miss Evans while you're still pining away for a girl who'd rather associate with Snivelly than you." James was hard pressed not to grin impishly when Sirius nearly snapped his quill in two.

Knowing he'd better let him cool down for a few moments, James waited to proceed with his teasing.

He sent Peter a sly look.

"I'm just saying that it might help to go talk to her since you've been too chicken to do anything else about your crush."

Sirius pretended not to care as he focused his attention on McGonagall's transfiguration essay, but James and Peter were not fooled by his studious act. They knew he was still thinking about Kagome.

Kagome was all Sirius could think about as of late. She had somehow worked her way into the playboy's heart without even trying. Sirius' crush had started shortly after they had arrived at Hogwarts when the Marauders had not yet joined forces. Her eyes had been the first thing to captivate him even as she glared at him from under soot colored lashes. He'd insulted Snivelly instantly gaining his soon to be friend's approval but her disdain.

Even at eleven she had been a sight to behold with creamy alabaster skin and a delicate heart shaped face. She was unlike anyone he had ever seen and unlike anyone he had ever known. She rose up to challenge him and did not back down easily. A quality the Sorting Hat had recognized instantly.

Now seven years later all he had managed to do was drive her into any other seventh year male's arms with his trademark wit and charm. He clenched his fists as he thought about the gits she had dated.

She'd dated an older Ravenclaw when they were fifteen, but he'd dumped her when she wouldn't help him cheat on his N.E.W.T.s. Then she'd briefly dated a Hufflepuff boy who had tried to take advantage of her on a Hogsmeade weekend. Needless to say, the student was hexed something fierce before getting tossed out on his arse.

After that he had assumed she had been single, but Lily had recently informed him that Kagome had been involved in a pretty serious relationship for the past two years with a boy from Durmstrang but had ended it over the summer when she found out the slimy bastard had been cheating on her with her cousin.

His knuckles bled white at the thought. If he ever met the sodding arsehole he'd make sure the poor git never got out of St. Mungo's.

He lifted his gaze briefly to look upon her once again. "Ugh," A strangled groan left his lips as he watched Remus gently push a stray lock behind her ear which earned a pretty smile from Kagome.

James was silently rejoicing seeing his best mate suffer. It was a nice change from his normal behavior. In fact he was so pleased he could have kissed Kagome. However, due to threat of bodily harm from both Kagome and Lily, he remained seated.

Plus it was so much more fun to tease Sirius. Especially when he was making it so easy. A wicked thought made its way to the forefront of his mind. He knew exactly how to get under Sirius' skin. Peter recognized the mischievous look immediately.

"Moony is going to snatch her up before you even get a chance." James sing-songed knowing that it would irk Padfoot. He didn't have to wait long for the desired effect to occur.

At those words something snapped inside of Sirius and he tossed his quill onto the table.

"Watch this." Sirius rose and straightened his tie before flashing Prongs and Wormtail his trademark smile. James could only grin as he watched Padfoot strut over to where Moony and Kagome were studying. A few bewildered second and third years watched Sirius approach the couple.

Sirius stopped at the edge of the oak table and waited for them to acknowledge his presence. It didn't take long before Kagome scowled at the devilishly handsome, young womanizer before her.

On his way over he had given himself a little pep talk but standing in front of her with that cool gaze burning through him had all of his charm and intellect heading for the hills. Sirius had mentally told himself to woo her with his charm and intellect, but he found the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"I could find a better use for that mouth than scowling." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. His eyes taking on an edge as he leaned in toward the young girl.

If James would have been where Remus was sitting, he would have slapped Sirius upside the head. Their lines may have worked on countless airheads and bimbos, but Kagome was not going to fall for any of them. In fact, if the way her eyebrow twitched was anything to go by, James surmised she was downright livid.

Not to mention poor Remus. He seemed very out of sorts as he looked between the two uneasily. If it would have been anyone else, he would have grinned but as it was the girl sitting in front of him was quite spunky and unpredictable, and he feared for the safety of Sirius who, for a lack of better words, thought he was God's gift to women.

She groaned and set down her quill, pinning Sirius with a look that rivaled McGonagall's. It was his Gryffindor courage that kept him firmly rooted to the spot despite her evident displeasure. "Why can't you be more like your name?"

He chuckled heartily. "Babe, if I were black I'd have twice the amount of women to fend off," He smirked at her before he continued. "But you know that they say once you go black you never go back."

Internally he was beating the snot out of himself, but it seemed his mouth had a mind of its own.

Kagome huffed angrily. She supposed, somewhat dejectedly, she had walked into that one. She would have to remember to choose her words very carefully when speaking with Sirius.

"Or perhaps you wish me to be a Muggle hating git?" He questioned his voice dripping with sarcasm. It was no secret how the majority of the Black family felt about muggle-borns, so he had turned the school upside down in his first year when he had been sorted into Gryffindor much to his mother's displeasure.

Kagome attempted to swat the young man but he evaded her grasp. "You know what I meant." Her azure blue orbs flashed in annoyance.

He grinned. He had grown accustomed to the fire that sparked behind her sapphire like orbs. Although he supposed he would like it more if it were directed at him under more appropriate means or inappropriate means.

"Where would the fun be in that?" He settled down on top of the table again, effectively obscuring Remus's view from Kagome's face. He reasoned Remus had had enough time to look at her.

Moony rolled his eyes. If Sirius thought this playboy approach would be the ticket to Kagome's heart he was sadly mistaken, but he was not about to voice his opinion. After all he got just as much enjoyment out of seeing Sirius suffer as James and Peter did.

It seemed quite fitting that the one woman he wanted barely gave him the time of day. There was some poetic justice in that Remus supposed.

"Life is far too short to be serious."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "So you think that playing pranks and getting into girls' knickers is just a way to pass the time?"

He guffawed which earned a sharp _'sh'_ from Madame Pince. Kagome looked a little embarrassed, but Sirius ignored the old bat. "My dear Kagome are you sure you're quite right in the head? I believe you know me better than to ask that."

If looks could kill he'd have been dead a million times over. Even the Slytherins in the vicinity cowered in fear. Kagome had quite the reputation for her fiery temper, and Sirius Black was quickly earning himself a one way ticket to the infirmary.

"Grow up, Sirius."

His grin only widened at her suggestion. "I don't think you could handle me if I was any more grown up." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively causing a few Hufflepuffs to twitter like imbeciles.

Kagome took a deep breath to try and calm herself down. Her fingers itched to hex him into next week, but she did not want to cause any more of a scene or lose house points, so she settled for giving him a fierce glare.

Once she was sure he had seen just how displeased she was she turned to Remus with a sweet expression.

"Remus can we study a bit later?"

The werewolf simply nodded as he watched the young witch grab her things and leave in a huff. As soon as she had left Sirius rubbed his face vigorously. "Tell me I didn't just mess up again."

Remus wanted to reassure Sirius, but he couldn't. "Sorry mate, but you really put your foot in your mouth with that one."

Sirius groaned. Remus felt a little sorry for him. Sirius was usually so charismatic and such a smooth talker that most women just fell at his feet. However, it seemed that nothing he did or said had any effect on Kagome other than to make her mad.

Sirius felt like ripping out his hair. He was getting nowhere and fast. With graduation less than a month away he was running out of time.

"Punch me."

"What?" Remus exclaimed, bewildered by the sudden request. Shortly after he did Madame Pince made a face at the two seventh years. Remus had the decency to look sorry. Sirius ignored her all together.

"Remus, punch me." Sirius repeated. Remus looked uneasy. He didn't want to punch Sirius.

"I don't think you're thinking clearly."

"I'll help." James said as he quickly strode over and punched Sirius square in the jaw. A couple of Ravenclaws scurried off as Sirius landed on the stone floor with a heavy thud.

Even the normal quiet of the library was eerily silent as the other students stopped to stare. James was sure the whole castle would know by dinner. It was quite a rare occurrence for the Marauders to be 'fighting.' They usually presented a united front, so it was quite uncharacteristic for one of them to be punching another. Especially when it involved James and Sirius.

"Mr. Potter what is the meaning of this?" Madame Pince screeched as she stormed toward the Marauders. Her eyes wide with rage.

"In my defense he did ask for it." James replied cheekily with a slight grin on his face. Peter and Remus shook their heads in astonishment. Never in a million years would they have imagined they would witness James punch Sirius.

"Mr. Potter forty points from Gryffindor and detention with me." She sent one last withering glare at the four young gentlemen before vacating the area. She believed Minerva would like to know what had transpired.

"Yes, ma'am."

James waited until Madame Pince was out of earshot before he grinned at his friends. "It was worth it."

Sirius rubbed his jaw. He would be one hell of a bruise tomorrow, but he supposed he had asked for it. James held out a hand to help him up.

"Now back to the important matter at hand. You, my friend, need to get your feelings sorted out. We're graduating in a matter of weeks and you're still hung up on Kagome." It was sometimes scary how quickly James was able to change emotions.

"It's a lost cause." Sirius complained as he ran a hand through his long hair. He was quite disturbed Kagome was able to reduce him to a sodding git with only a look.

Remus frowned. "Perhaps you shouldn't be yourself when you talk to her."

Sirius would've glared but something Remus said had struck an odd chord within him.

They instantly recognized the look on his face. It had been the same look he had when he'd suggested they attempt to be animagi. A look which certainly meant trouble for all of them.

"Remus I could kiss you."

"I hope you'll refrain from such lewd behavior. Although I suppose it should be expected." A voice drawled as the four boys turned to see Snape standing there in all his greasy glory. His normally vacant expression conveying the signature sneer that belonged to the Slytherin house.

Sirius and James were on edge instantly. Their hands itching to draw their wands, but they decided against it as they had already caused quite the commotion.

"Shame she'll never give you the time of day Black." Severus looked positively smug. That fact did not sit well with any of the Marauders.

"What makes you say that?" Sirius challenged his eyes narrowing into slits.

"You haven't heard?" This only seemed to widen the smirk that played on Severus's lips.

The Marauders were losing their patience. "Spit it out Snivelly or mind your own business." James barked, his normally bright eyes dark with unbridled anger. He would never forgive Severus for calling Lily a mudblood.

"Kagome is going to accompany me on the last Hogsmeade trip."

It took a few moments for the words to register, but when they did Sirius understood the implications of the statement. The last Hogsmeade trip was reserved only for Seventh year students and was one of the more well-known traditions Hogwarts had to offer.

Hogwarts had far too many traditions to count, but there were some that every student made a point to remember. _Hogwarts: a History _detailed how the founders had unknowingly started a tradition regarding the last Hogsmeade trip.

With a lot of meddling from three of the founders, they had convinced one Seventh year boy to break the arranged marriage he had with a pureblood witch to propose to a muggle born witch. Despite everything the pair had to overcome, she had said yes. Thus after that the last Hogsmeade trip became synonymous with professing one's love. Even though the history book described it as a tradition of living without regrets more often than not many Seventh years still took it upon themselves to confess his or her feelings to someone he or she cared deeply about.

Sirius found he was at a loss for words.

Kagome had accepted his invitation. She had to know what Severus intended. All color left his face as an even more horrifying thought filtered through his mind. An image of the pair snogging made its way into his thoughts followed by dark haired, greasy children. It was terribly repulsive and made him want to heave the contents of his stomach onto the floor of the library.

He took a deep breath hoping it would rid him of the feeling to retch. Sirius had barely pulled himself together before James shot Snivelly with a _'silencio'_ and pulled him from the library. Peter and Remus followed suit deeming it unnecessary to linger any longer.

It didn't seem to faze the greasy git. Severus merely smirked at the retreating group knowing he had won their little row, knowing he had something Sirius would never be able to obtain.


	2. Rumor has it

By dinner the Marauders were hard pressed to find a single soul who hadn't heard about their row in the library, but all of that paled in comparison to the news of Kagome and Snivelly going to the last Hogsmeade trip together. That little kernel of disgustingness had trumped their fight and had effectively divided the student body on their opinion of the 'new couple.'

Even the teachers seemed to be thoroughly enjoying sensationalizing the news about Kagome and Snivelly. Sirius had overheard Slughorn and McGonagall talking about it as he had made his way through the hallways after dinner. They were hoping that perhaps Kagome and Snivelly would be able to bridge the gap between Gryffindor and Slytherin with what they called 'young love.'

He had nearly hexed himself in an attempt to escape the cruel and unusual punishment that Karma seemed to be inflicting on him for his years of mischief. He was absolutely sick and tired of hearing _everyone_ talk about Snivellus and Kagome. If it wasn't his peers, it was the portraits, the ghosts, and he had even overheard a few house elves mention it for Merlin's sake.

Ever since the news broke he had been unable to escape its far reaching grasp. It would have been more of a miracle if he had come across someone who hadn't heard the news. While the Slytherins were being very tight lipped about the whole situation, he was pretty sure that they were equally as mortified and displeased as he was by the turn of events.

That fact alone made him a little ill at ease. Never in a million years would he have thought he'd have something in common with a Slytherin. His whole perception of the world seemed to be a little off kilter.

He thought he would have been able to get away from the gossip if he retreated to the common room, but it seemed that it only increased tenfold as his house seemed to be on the verge of rioting.

His fellow housemates of the female persuasion had nothing better to do than talk about how tragic and somewhat romantic Kagome's relationship with Snivelly was proving to be, while his male housemates preferred to see Kagome as a traitor. To them she was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Albeit a nice and kind wolf but that was beside the point. She was throwing house loyalty to the wind and fraternizing with the enemy for goodness sake which was unforgiveable. At least according to some of the seventh year males in Gryffindor.

And yet the girl in question did not weigh in on any of the conversations being carried on about her. She simply smiled and went about her business as if it were the most natural thing in the world. In fact when asked about the whole situation she told the nosy chits that it was really none of their business who she wanted to date or spend time with.

Sirius wasn't sure if that quality made him like her more but it irked him to no end. He sort of wanted her to comment on the situation. He wanted to believe she wasn't knackered, but above all else he wanted to know what the oily git had that he didn't.

The whole situation was quite vexing.

What quality could he possibly have that Sirius didn't? He wanted to know what made Severus so much more desirable to Kagome. It simply defied all logic. Snape wasn't suave or good looking. He lacked confidence and dabbled in the dark arts more than he ought to. He practically screamed Death Eater.

He flopped unceremoniously onto his messy bed. "This is the worst day in Hogwarts' history." Sirius complained, having just narrowly escaped getting roped into the debate about whether or not Kagome was a traitor to their house.

Peter, James, and Remus shared a look.

"I'm sure the publishers wouldn't mind making note of this historic event. After all if it is indeed the worst day in Hogwarts' history it must be properly documented." James quipped as he threw a dirty sock in Sirius' direction.

"I already penned the appropriate text documenting the event and sent it to the editor. I was assured that the next edition would include today's events in vivid detail. I included a few photos for the history book as well. There was an especially nice one of you about to hurl in the library some Ravenclaw supplied." Remus added from over the top of his scroll.

A sour look shadowed Sirius' face. He itched to hit them with his pillow but thought better of it. He was really in no mood to have an all out pillow fight. He just didn't have the energy.

"I thought you had a plan." Peter ventured once their laughter had subsided.

Remus and James perked up. "Yes, what epiphany did you come to in the library?" Remus asked recalling Sirius' earlier exclamation, which had prompted Snivelly to comment.

Sirius rolled onto his stomach acting very much the part of the drama queen, all sullen and sighs. "I'll tell you once it's been finalized. I can't chance anything at this point."

They all rolled their eyes. "It sounds like you haven't thought this all the way through." James wasn't sure what Sirius' plan entailed, but he really hoped it wouldn't turn out like his last one. He disliked Snivelly as much as the next person but sending him to his doom was a bit extreme; even if he was a git, even if he had called Lily a mudblood.

He grimaced. He didn't want to defend the bloke or anything, but even they had standards to live up to and murder was definitely not one James wanted on his conscience. His mother and father could overlook his pranks, but a ticket to Azkaban would be hard to stomach.

"Don't worry. Hopefully I won't even have to use it." Sirius replied. The initial plan had taken root in the library, but he hadn't had a chance to flesh it out. His thoughts had been somewhat preoccupied.

Remus set the scroll he had been reading aside in favor of looking at Sirius. "Which means you either aren't sure it'll work or you've already come up with another plan."

The small grin that tugged at the corners of Sirius' lips told them all they needed to know. "All I will say is that if I have to employ this little scheme, I am going to need each and every one of you to pull it off."

Peter, James, and Remus merely grinned impishly. "We're not the Marauders for nothing." Peter quipped, pegging Sirius in the forehead with a chocolate frog. Before Sirius had a chance to retaliate James stepped in.

"And let's be honest, it's not like you could pull off whatever it is without us." James' laughter was soon joined by the others as they talked into the night about anything other than the strange relationship that had blossomed between their peers.

.

.

.

The next day started just as horrendously as the previous one had ended. Not only were the Marauders sleep deprived having stayed up half the night working out the details of their plan, but the halls were rampant with rumors, each one more outrageous than the last.

At breakfast it seemed the rumor of choice was Snivelly had slipped Kagome a love potion or hexed her with an unforgiveable. This appeased a majority of the males in Gryffindor as they rationalized there could be no other logical explanation for her reciprocated feelings unless there were nefarious means involved so Kagome was back in their good graces. However, it did little for house unity.

In fact it only served to further strain the fragile ties between Slytherin and Gryffindor as both houses were fighting for the honor of their respective housemate and as much as Sirius would have liked to believe those wild tales, as opposed to facing reality, he doubted even Snivelly would stoop so low, despite his house affiliation and overall surly demeanor.

They had barely been able to get through breakfast before twenty students were sentenced to detention for a week due to the nature of the hexes being wildly flung about. The Marauders were certain that they had never seen McGonagall so angry in all their years at Hogwarts and that was saying something as they had quite the reputation for putting grey hairs on her head.

During their morning classes they had had a reprieve, but by lunch the rumor of choice floating about was Kagome was pregnant with Snape's child. Sirius had spewed pumpkin juice all over Peter as Greta Catchlove and Eleanor Babbit conversed animatedly about the latest rumor as they passed the Gryffindor table on their way to Ravenclaw. They had barely paused before continuing on with how it was a boy and they were going to name it after her father. Amelia Knightley wondered if they were going to be wed soon after graduation. To which Greta replied that they were holding off the wedding until the fall as it would be positively beautiful to have their wedding underneath the changing leaves.

James, Remus, and Peter found the gossip quite entertaining as they knew only too well what the student population did with gossip and rumors. However, Sirius was having a hard time finding the situation entertaining and while he was sure Greta, Elenaor, and Amelia were off their rockers, the seed had been planted. His eyes shot to the girl in question, but the bulky school robes obscured his view from her mid-section. He couldn't help but wonder if Kagome was pregnant; he quickly stopped. The thought made him quite nauseated, and although he wanted to be remembered, he did not want to be remembered as the boy who had vomited in the middle of the Great Hall.

He had immediately sought out Lily to quash the rumors, but she had missed breakfast and could not be found at lunch or dinner which only served to irk him even more. He had been trying to commence phase one of their plan all day, but it seemed like Lily had had other ideas. He was starting to think it wasn't a coincidence that he couldn't find her. In fact he was almost certain that she had been intentionally avoiding him. Although he was quite perplexed as to the reasoning behind it. As far as he knew, he had done nothing to warrant such behavior.

It was only by sheer luck that he had caught her alone after dinner. He saw his window of opportunity and he seized it.

"Evans you're looking quite lovely today," Sirius greeted jovially as he settled into the vacant seat beside her. He was silently thankful the common room was deserted. Kagome was on patrol and James was in detention so it was the perfect moment to question his best mate's girl about the girl of his own interests.

She didn't even bother to look at him. "What do you want Black?" Her no nonsense tone was not lost on Sirius, but he grinned anyway. Lily was such a little spitfire. He loved her dearly like the sister he never had which was most likely why it was a favorite past time of his to drive her positively mad.

He pretended to be wounded by her words. "Why do you always infer that I want something?" He asked innocently. His expression conveying the right amount of surprise and hurt, but Lily was not fooled. He supposed she was rather immune to his trickery. She had after all grown accustomed to their eccentricities and pranks through the years.

She put the stopper in her ink well and turned to regard the pureblood with a pointed stare. "Sirius Black do you really believe me to be so thick?" His expression faltered for the briefest of moments before he smiled genuinely at the red-head.

"Okay, perhaps I do want something, but it isn't fair that you always assume I do." He grinned. Lily snorted and smirked in an 'I-told-you-so' sort of way. Sirius would have commented how positively Slytherin she looked if he knew it wouldn't dampen his chances of garnering her help.

"Well, when you come to me without wanting something I'll run around the castle in my knickers."

It took all of the will power he had not to comment on her bold statement. Instead he chose to file away that tid-bit of information for later use. However, he did need to ask her about Kagome before said girl returned and/or the common room filled with their peers as with every passing moment increased the likelihood that a fellow housemate would appear and ruin the privacy that they now enjoyed.

"Yes?" She sing-songed looking like the cat that ate the canary. She had heard the rumors. She could surmise why Sirius Black had sought her out, but she wanted to hear the words straight from the horse's mouth. Plus it would be one of the only moments where she could make him squirm.

Sirius was quite sure she had been hanging out with them for far too long. She was starting to act like a Marauder herself. He couldn't have been more proud. He always said James had good taste.

"I need your help trying to talk with Kagome." He had prepared himself for her criticisms but when she simply patted his hand gently and set her parchment aside to give him her full and undivided attention he was perplexed.

His brows scrunched together in confusion. He was quite puzzled by her behavior. "Sirius, there's really nothing I can say that would make the situation better. You've really put your foot into your mouth with your latest stunt."

He was tempted to argue with her on the matter but he had nothing to retort. She had spoken the truth.

He was flabbergasted. He thought she would have been the first to warn him away from her best friend. He had been so positive she would try to protect her friend from the infamous Sirius Black. "What makes you say that? How can you be positive?"

Her emerald eyes stared back at him sympathetically. "Trust me Sirius. There is nothing I could say to her that would persuade her otherwise."

Sirius' shoulders sagged a bit. He had been hoping he wouldn't have to resort to his original plan. Not only was it against school rules but he was certain he would never be able to pull it off. Even with the help of his friends the chances were not in his favor.

He doubted Merlin himself would be able to pull off such a feat, so he sighed and stood. "Well in that case wish me luck Evans."

"Sirius," He stopped and turned, curious what she would say in response.

"What are you planning?" Lily asked with a serious expression on her face. She had never seen Sirius so…serious; it was actually very peculiar. Under different circumstances it might have been warranted but as it was she felt it rather odd. She secretly missed the prankster she had come to know and love. She missed his blasé attitude when she felt like the sky was falling.

Something flashed in his dark orbs before it was gone. A silly grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "Evans I'm starting to think all of the studying has gone to your head. You're imagining things."

Her lips turned down in a frown. "Perhaps you shouldn't meddle." Sirius balked at the idea. "Perhaps Serverus and Kagome would be good for one another." He wasn't sure if she said it out of some misplaced guilt, but he wanted to tell her she shouldn't care about Severus. That she shouldn't give two knuts about him because he didn't deserve to have someone like Kagome when he had called Lily such a horrible name, and Severus shouldn't get sympathies from Lily because he had called her that foul name.

He mentally sighed. Of course he restrained himself from letting those words tumble out of his mouth as it would only upset her, and Lily would only say he didn't deserve her either.

His heart clenched painfully, and he did not want to hear that either. Somewhere in the confines of his heart he knew it to be true. Kagome was different, wonderfully so. She was everything he had ever wanted and more, and he didn't deserve her; Sirius still wanted her.

"How about we compromise." Lily looked at Sirius as if a second head had grown on his shoulder.

"Compromise?" She asked in a disbelieving sort of tone but set aside her tome to show he had piqued her interest. She couldn't recall a single time when he had compromised in the past. It was a very non-Marauder like thing to do.

"Yes," Sirius was feeling rather proud of himself. "I won't meddle, but you have to talk me up to Kagome."

Lily looked as if she were about to protest, but before she could formulate her sentence Sirius hurried on. "If it really won't have an effect, as you claim, it shouldn't matter one way or the other." He smirked, proud how he used her own words against her.

She eyed him critically. It seemed like he was accommodating her request, but the fact that he was considering it had her doubting his motives. She knew only too well just what con-artists The Marauders all were.

"I suppose that sounds reasonable." She finally said, praying she hadn't made a mistake in agreeing.

Sirius could barely conceal the smile that played on his lips. "Perfect." He turned to go when her voice called out to him again.

"I'm going to regret this aren't I?" Sirius knew it was a rhetorical question, but he couldn't help but turn to look at her, his features schooled into a perfectly innocent expression. The one he wore whenever McGonagall accused the Marauders of trickery without sufficient proof.

"Now why would you think that?" If Lily hadn't been sure that Sirius had ulterior motives before, she was painfully aware of them after that statement, but she could do little more than watch him leave as she mulled over the exact wording he had used to con her into his little trap.

She huffed angrily. Sirius Black sure had a way with words. She had assumed she would be impervious to their silver tongues after all these years, but he had walked her right into his little trap with such ease Lily was most certainly ashamed. She was the brightest witch in their class and she had been tricked far too easily for her tastes.

She knew she wasn't going to like whatever they were scheming. Even if Sirius didn't confirm her suspicions she knew without a doubt that Remus, Peter, and James would be helping him. They were thick as thieves that lot and uniting against a common enemy always did seem to bring out the worst in them.

Lily didn't quite understand why she cared so much. Severus and she were estranged. They were neither friends nor enemies, but she couldn't help but want to see him happy. She wanted him to finally experience and understand the emotion that had been such a stranger to him growing up and knew Kagome would be able to share that with him.

However, Sirius wasn't a poster child for a happy childhood either. In fact Lily believed that his playboy tendencies stemmed from his strained relationship with his mother. He had never had a woman in his life coddle him.

She rubbed her temples vigorously to ease the headache that was slowly building. No matter the outcome one boy would be disappointed. She tugged at a curl absentmindedly as she stared into the flames. Her thoughts no longer on the Ancient Runes exam she had tomorrow but on the weird love triangle she found herself meddling in.

_A/N: You guys are amazing! I'm so happy you like my story. I appreciate all of the feedback. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. For those of you also reading, That Summer, I am sad to report that I have not made that much progress. I have made quite a bit of progress on a Blaise/Kagome oneshot though. It is probably halfway complete. I am not sure how to end it though. _

_Thank you to:_

_Itoma, darkhanyouqueen, isla1212, lillypad14, Catalina26, sakura1208, snowcoveredcamellias, miracle68, kagome midnight fox, watch who you piss off, shootingstar77, Katarin Kishika, MidnightReader1, KagHieiLuver,_

_Valleygoat: Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter as well_

_EvilNinjaOverlordofDarkness:You are far too kind. Thank you so much for your review._

_Domyouji: Haha thank you! I hope this chapter is just as promising as the last._

_ladyyuuki16: Thank you for reviewing! I am working on a couple of other HP/IY fics. I have been messing around with several Blaise/Kagome centered fics. I do have a couple Viktor/Kagome ones in the works too, but I am not as far along with those as the Blaise/Kagome ones. I recently started to flesh out a Remus/Kagome one as well. I am not sure when any of the aforementioned will be posted._

_blue: I agree. He does always seem to be getting the short end of the stick. I may need some consultation on how to properly portray Snape in future chapters._

_twilightrose07: lol which is why chapter one is titled 'my stupid mouth' after John Mayer's song. :P_

_4get me not: Lol yes, mission accomplished I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well._

_kat: Thanks! Any recommendations for Snape/Kagome and Sirius/Kagome fics?_

_Applejax XD: I seriously contemplated having him faint, but I figured it would be a very un-Sirius thing to do :P_

_Kenjo: Thank you! I'm glad you like it._

_Dictator4Life: Lol yes, poor Sirius indeed. However, I rationalize that he must sort of deserve it. I mean he was terribly cruel to Snape…It is the universe getting him back :P_

_AbyssTales: Thank you! They are definitely up to no good :P_

_Samantha Rice: haha Thank you so much I believe that is a very positive reaction_

_Kaiwren522: Thanks! Nah, you're not obnoxious. I appreciate the ideas and they may or may not align with some of the ones I have been thinking over. Hopefully you'll stick around to see what happens_

_Isshi Urahara: Thanks for reviewing. It would be an interesting concept. I have been considering a few possibilities for how Kagome and Sirius end up together, so we shall see how it unfolds._


	3. Bad Romance

"You look tense. Is everything alright?" Lily jumped, startled by the question.

She recovered quickly though. "Oh, well doesn't it bother you?" She asked casually, pulling another piece of parchment from her satchel in an attempt to seem normal.

She had been racking her brain on how to approach Kagome about Sirius for the last few days but had failed to come up with a plan of attack. Every time she had tried to rally her courage to broach the subject the timing never seemed to be right. However, she knew all too well time was running out, and she could tell Sirius was getting antsy. He had made more than one, not so subtle, gesture for her to hurry up and fulfill her side of their verbal agreement.

"What?" Kagome asked focusing her attention back on the texts in front of her.

"People are staring at you." Thankfully, it was true. There were a few students peering at them from between the shelves.

"Are they?" Kagome asked, not even sparing the onlookers a glance as she continued to write in her divination notebook. "Honestly, are people so bored with their lives they need to obsess about mine?"

Lily shrugged. "Well you have to admit it is quite scandalous."

A thin black brow rose in question. "You're practically Gryffindor's Princess." Lily elaborated, transfiguring a piece of parchment into a tiara. Kagome swatted the offending object away. "Which is why I think this has caused such an uproar."

"Oh, come on Lils. No one has called me that in years." Kagome said in clipped manner as she struggled not to snap her quill in two.

"Maybe not to your face." She teased. Kagome made a face. She would never live down that nickname. She was certain James had started it, but she lacked definitive proof other than the small grin that played on his lips whenever someone called her that.

"Well perhaps I am trying to shake that horrible nickname." Kagome shot back, raising her chin a fraction of an inch in defiance.

Lily giggled at the thought. "Are you telling me you're rebelling?" Lily looked aghast. "It sounds like you have been taking lessons from four of our fellow Gryffindors."

"I suppose your boyfriend and his friends have started to rub off on me." Kagome smiled impishly.

"Maybe you and Sirius are more alike than you think." Lily said, thanking Merlin for the perfect segue to bring up the Pureblood.

Kagome set down her quill, carefully mulling over what Lily had just said. "I think Peter and I have more in common than Sirius and I do." Lily made a face. Although she considered Peter to be a dear friend, she would have never put the two of them together. The thought was quite alarming.

"Once you get to know him he is quite endearing."

Kagome's lips dipped down in a frown. "I don't know Lils." Kagome shifted a bit to look out the window. "The majority of our interactions have been horrendous, and he's so cruel to Severus." Lily was thankful Kagome wasn't looking at her. She was certain she looked torn. She knew just how cruel they could be. It was one of the reasons she had resisted going out with James for years, and she really had nothing to say in Sirius' defense.

"But he is also very loyal to those he cares about." Lily couldn't count all of the times he had defended her honor against the Slytherins who sought to torment her, or the way he stuck up for Peter.

Kagome smiled sadly as she ran a hand through her long locks. "I think I've fallen for my share of smooth talkers." Lily cringed. The men in Kagome's past had all been handsome and smart but two-faced arseholes. "I don't think my heart can handle another."

Lily's heart felt heavy. She usually loved to be right, but at that moment she loathed it. Just as she had predicted one of the boys was going to be heartbroken by the outcome. "Despite his demeanor and antics he does genuinely care about you."

She had seen the way Sirius looked at Kagome. Although the boys had been very tight lipped about Sirius' feelings for Kagome, Lily had noticed the subtle changes in his behavior toward the blue eyed girl throughout the years. Not to mention Sirius looked at Kagome the same way James looked at her.

Kagome paused momentarily to contemplate her friend's words. "I'm sure he thinks I'm what he wants, since I am the only girl in our grade to have turned him down; I assure you I am just a means to an end."

Lily shook her head. "Kagome, his feelings are genuine. I'm positive that he just doesn't know how to express those feelings to you because he does actually care about you."

Kagome was about to list the reasons why they weren't compatible when Remus appeared. He had the uncanny ability to appear out of thin air. It was a miracle he didn't scare her half to death when they met up for patrol duty.

"Hello," He greeted, pulling out the chair next to Lily.

"Hi Remus," Kagome and Lily replied in unison.

"James is looking for you." Lily sighed dramatically before she rose from the table with her books tucked securely under her arm.

"We'll be back later. We're heading into Hogsmeade to make sure everything is all set for the festivities in a couple weeks."

"Have fun!" Kagome waved as Lily went in search of James, but Kagome didn't miss the look that Lily sent her before she had departed. It definitely said their conversation was far from over.

"Are you ready for our picnic?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Kagome exclaimed dramatically as she shoved her books into her satchel.

Remus just grinned. "Starving?" He asked, barely suppressing his laughter as he watched her frantic actions.

"Positively famished. I thought you weren't going to show." He held the door open for her as they left. "Especially after the other day in the library." Color instantly rose to Remus' cheeks. He was still quite embarrassed by Sirius' behavior.

"I had contemplated the latter but decided against it." He grinned, taking her bookbag from her as they navigated the hallways.

Kagome snorted. "Good choice, Remus. I would have hated to explain to your parents why you didn't make it to commencement."

They fell into fits of laughter as they settled by the lake. "As if you could really hurt me."

"You better watch it, Mr. Lupin." Kagome tried her best to look menacing but was having a hard time maintaining the look.

The sandy-haired teen looked as if he were about to throw in the towel and concede defeat when he rushed forward and grabbed her by the waist, easily picking her up to swing her around. Kagome squealed happily.

"Put me down!" She cried even though she was holding onto him for dear life.

"Not until you admit that you can't hurt me." He crowed boisterously.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. She was stubborn to a fault. "Never!" She shouted back as the scenery blurred around her.

He chuckled knowing that she would something along those lines. "Then I'll just have to deposit you in the lake. I am sure the giant squid would like to have you as a mid-day snack."

A couple more twirls and a few steps toward the lake had Kagome ready to admit defeat. "Fine, I can't hurt you!"

He set her down gently, grinning from ear to ear. "Now was that so hard?"

"You better sleep with one eye open." Kagome warned as she threw herself onto the blanket in an attempt to make the world stop spinning.

His grin lessened slightly. "You said you couldn't hurt me. You admitted defeat."

She nodded. "I said I couldn't hurt you. I never said I wouldn't lace Helen Davis' pumpkin juice with Amortentia."

Remus looked positively aghast at the thought. Helen Davis was Sixth Year Ravenclaw who seemed to make it her goal in life to become the next Mrs. Lupin. She had even hidden in the Prefect's Bathroom with the hopes of catching a glimpse of him naked. Luckily, he had found her before he had disrobed.

He cringed at the memory. "You're wicked."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I never claimed to be otherwise." She then sighed heavily and rolled over to lie on her stomach. Remus gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear just as he had done the other day in library.

Kagome was about to take a sip of pumpkin juice when Remus' statement caused her to still. "Speaking of Amortentia," She scrutinized the orange liquid in her cup.

"I didn't lace your pumpkin juice with Amortentia, How would I have known you would use that as a threat against me?" He did have a point, but he hung out with a notorious group of troublemakers. She had learned at an early age it was dangerous to underestimate them.

"What did you smell when you stood over the cauldron of Amortentia?" Remus questioned, taking a swig from his own cup as a sign of good faith.

A pretty blush stained her alabaster cheeks. "It was really quite silly." She laughed, unwilling to say outright what it was she had smelled.

He poked her in the ribs causing her to squeal. He was about to elicit the answer out of her when Peter appeared at the top of the path.

"Moony!" Peter hollered. "I need your help. Sirius has gotten himself into quite the pickle, and James isn't around." Peter made an insistent gesture for him to hurry up when it looked like Remus was going to drag his heels.

Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius was always getting himself into questionable situations. He was pretty sure he would be able to wait a few moments, but his loyalty got the better of him. "Raincheck?"

"Okay," Kagome couldn't help the little grin that tugged on the corners of her lips. "Plus this just means more food for me. Nom, nom, nom." She rubbed her hands together greedily as she eyed the tasty spread he had procured from the kitchens.

Remus' stomach growled in protest as he walked up the sloping side to meet Peter. It was a shame that James was busy in Hogsmeade with Lily. He had been looking forward to their picnic for quite some time.

"Look," Peter said, pointing over Remus' shoulder to the area he had just vacated. He turned just in time to see Severus take his spot on the blanket. He must have said something funny because Kagome threw her head back in laughter. Her hand gently resting on Snape's shoulder. They were too far away, but Remus swore he saw a small smile ghost over Snape's thin lips.

"Come on we can't keep Sirius waiting." Remus finally said, turning away from the scene. He silently wondered if they would be forced to move up the execution of their plan in light of the new developments.

_Thanks/Replies: shootingstar77, Valleygoat, Catalina26, darksilvercloud, miracle68, twilightrose07, BeautifulTwisted, Yuki no Ai, Isla1212, cadaverific-jellyfish, Speedykitten1643, Applejax XD, otaco, kagome midnight fox, Anonymoose13_

_Kaita the Creeper: Haha, thank you! I am glad you liked it and held your attention! I hope this chapter did as well._

_kakashixangela: All will be revealed…eventually I have a Viktor/Kagome fics in the works. I am trying to focus on this fic and That Summer, since updates are sporadic. I don't want to start too many fics that I am unable to keep up with._

_kat: Thanks! I felt that we really needed to showcase they are adolescents and young adults and would act as such. I hope I am portraying them as slightly more 'human' despite the unique circumstances and situations they find themselves in that are way beyond their age. Thank you for the suggestions!_

_sakura1208: Very true…I was considering an alternative, but we shall see_

_snowcoveredcamellias: Yes!_

_lillypad14: Peter is just there. I am actually not sure how to write Peter, since he is well, for a lack of a better word, mousy. I definitely need to re-read the series where the Marauders are mentioned to get a better reading on how to write him._

_Tempest S: I know! I think eventually I'll write a Severus/Kagome fic to get it out of my system._

_Thornado: Thank you for the suggestion! I like to reply at the end of the chapters, so I don't accidentally leave someone out. I suppose I also didn't realize the reply function is connected to the PM inbox/outbox._


	4. (You Drive Me) Crazy

James was concerned. Actually he was downright petrified. Lily's mind was obviously elsewhere as they strolled through Hogsmeade. No amount of joking or buffoonery could get her to crack a smile. It was almost like she was running on autopilot as they finalized all of the details for their last school event. However, James knew it was only a matter of time before she snapped and her true feelings surged forth, and unfortunately for him he would be on the receiving end of her fury.

"James," He cringed. He was prepared to _Accio_ his broom and flee to parts unknown when his little spitfire stopped short, almost causing him to run into her. "Because of you, and yes I know you're involved in this, I am meddling in the whole Severus-Kagome-Sirius love triangle thing." She threw her hands up, exasperated by the whole scenario she has been going over and over in her mind.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." Lily didn't buy his innocent act for a minute. James and the lot were good, but not that good. She could see right through their choir boy act after years of study. The small tells that each boy gave spoke volumes when their actions and mannerisms said the opposite. However, Lily was certain they had concocted some plan in an attempt to change Kagome's opinion of Sirius. They didn't give up without a fight, and Sirius definitely wanted Kagome. Lily knew Sirius far too well and knew he would at least put his best effort forward even if it ended badly.

"You cannot convince me otherwise. I know you four are plotting something." Her tone left no room for argument. She waited for him to show his tell.

He chuckled, rubbing her shoulders in an attempt to distract her. "What makes you think that?" He schooled his features into one of innocence with practiced ease.

She whirled around to pin him with a hard glare. "Sirius said the same thing the other night." She screeched, her face taking on a lovely pink. "I don't know what it is, but I know you lot well enough to know that you have something up your sleeves." She accented each word with a sharp jab to his chest. Lily knew it wouldn't deflate his ego but knowing it would leave a nice bruise helped some of her anger dissipate.

"Well we are best mates. It is not uncommon for friends to use similar phrases." He replied cheekily, but as soon as the words left his lips, he wished he could have taken them back.

"I'm being serious." She stated, her shoulders sagging, her anger leaving as quickly as it had come. "You're not the one who is going to have to tell Sirius that no matter how much he likes Kagome, she'll never reciprocate; that she said she has more in common with Peter of all people." Lily closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to maintain her calm herself before she continued.

"I knew it was going to end badly for Sirius, which is why I told him I didn't want to meddle."

"Wait, what did she say about Peter?" He had been completely caught off guard by the bit about Peter. Maybe Sirius' affections were misplaced, and they may have to rethink their entire plan if she was interested in Peter second to Snivelly.

Lily didn't even bother to reign in her anger as she was at her wits end, so she cocked her fist back and punched James in the arm. "Bloody hell! What was that for?" He yelped, rubbing his hurt appendage with a pitiful expression on his face. She simply glared at him in response. She knew he had taken more than his fair share of beatings during Quidditch and knew her punch couldn't have hurt that much.

"Out of all the things I said the part about Peter is what you focused on?" Lily knew James could be a prat, but he was walking a very dangerous line. She would have hexed him if she thought it would help, but from previous experiences she found it only served to add fuel to the fire, so she stormed away angry and hurt.

"Lils," James really did feel bad for her. However, he couldn't tell her what they had planned. She wouldn't approve, and tell Kagome, and then he'd be in trouble with both Lily and Sirius and he feared Lily way more than he did Sirius. "I'm sorry. I know you're caught in the middle, and I you're right I have absolutely no idea how that feels." She stopped to hear what he had to say but didn't turn around.

"Of course I'm rooting for Sirius. He's my best mate. I just want him to be happy. If that means helping him for the next two weeks in an attempt to reverse his reputation. get the girl, and see Snivelly suffer, then I'll help him to the best of my ability."

Lil might have smiled under different circumstances. It was his absolute loyalty to his friends and loved ones that she really admired about James. She slowly turned around once she was able to compose herself enough to resist clawing or hexing his eyes out.

"James, I really wish it were that simple, but it isn't. Kagome's heart has been broken. She has been duped on more than one occasion by a wolf in sheep's clothing, so she doesn't trust guys easily. Especially one's like Sirius."

James was about to interrupt, but Lily knew what he was going argue so she hurried on finish her thought. "I know Sirius isn't going to be like her exes. I see the way he looks at her. He looks at her the same way you look at me, but some small part of me can't help wanting Kagome to end up with Severus."

The look of absolute disgust on James' face was priceless. Never in a million years would he have expected Lily to say that. "But why? Why are you showing that git preferential treatment after the way he treated you? After what he called you?" James couldn't help the anger that rushed through his veins at the memory.

Lily's mouth opened and closed in an attempt to find the right words, but she found it difficult to articulate. "I don't know." She ran her hands through her hair and tugged.

"I'm torn between being a friend to Sirius and remembering the person Severus was when we were growing up. Also part of me knows there is the potential for Sirius to find love again, but Severus has never known love and will likely never experience it because he closes himself off to the world." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "I think Kagome might be the one person who can show him what it means to love and be loved."

James sighed heavily. He knew they were at an impasse. No amount of sweet talking or valid points would sway Lily from her opinion on the matter. He also knew it was loyalty to Lily's friend that prevented her from truly seeing his position.

"I'm not so sure about Sirius." James knew Sirius all too well. Sirius fooled around with girls because he hadn't found someone who didn't care about his pureblood status and wealth. James knew deep down inside Sirius just wanted what Lily and he had. Sirius wanted to know true love. "She's always held his attention. He might not know how to genuinely express it, but I know she holds a special place in his heart."

Lily nodded, snaking her left arm through his. "Then it is going to be quite difficult to tell him the truth." And with that they continued through Hogsmeade. Avoiding the obvious elephant that awaited them at the castle.


End file.
